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To Blend
or Not to Blend . . .

by Cole Danehower
Oregon Wine Report
Avalon Contributing Writer
9/02

To blend or not to blend. . . That is the question for many winemakers. Whether 'tis nobler to the palate of consumers to present the tastes of an individual grape variety or single-vineyard site-or, by blending, to vanquish such character and instead create a mixture of different wine lots that in the bottle becomes a sum greater than its parts.

In part, pocketbook voting has answered the question for winemakers: preference for blends has been declining.

In America-and particularly here in Oregon-blended wines seem to be losing popularity. Blends are wines that contain either a mixture of different grape varieties, or the same grape variety sourced from a variety of different vineyards.

Single Vineyard and Single Varietal Wines

It seems that blends are increasingly being pushed aside by a growing trend toward so-called single-vineyard designated wines. These are wines that are produced entirely of grapes of one variety that come exclusively from a specific vineyard, or block of vines within a vineyard.

The idea is that the personality of such wines expresses the unique character of that varietal from that specific site-a phenomenon described by the French term, terrior. Some doubt the efficacy of terroir, while others consider that only very old vineyards are capable of expressing such site-specific characters. Nevertheless, adroit marketing has given many consumers the idea that a single-vineyard wine is, almost by definition, superior to a blended wine

And then, of course, there's the perennial popularity of single-varietal wines-the proverbial bottlings labeled Cabernet sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, or other specific grape name. Consumers often opt for the sense of purity they gain from buying wine by the grape name, rather than some less easily identified blended label. But in fact, they're often unknowingly buying "mini-blends", since by law up to 25% of the wine in the bottle can be from a different variety than is stated on the label (up to 10% for wines made in Oregon).

Full-on blends, wines that are made up of different grapes or of the same grapes but from different locations, are unfortunately looked upon with some disdain by many consumers. They see such wines as composites, pastiches patched together with odds and ends of other wines, something of intrinsically less quality than the perceived "wholeness" of a single-vineyard or single-varietal wine.

And yet, this can be a mistake. Some of the world's greatest wines-and greatest wine values-are tasty blends.

Top Blended Wines

The great, expensive, and highly sought after red wines from Bordeaux, for example, are usually combinations of grapes Americans are more used to seeing as single-varietals: Cabernet sauvignon and Merlot, with some less well-know grapes thrown in, perhaps Cabernet franc or Petit verdot.

The popular wines from Chateaneuf du Pape, to cite another example, are created by blending up to 14 different grapes, including some familiar to Americans (Syrah, Grenache) and some unfamiliar (Piepoul, Terret noir). Some great Tuscan wines are made from mixtures of Sangiovese, Cabernet sauvignon, and Merlot, while robust Riojas from Spain are usually blends of Tempranillo, Gernache, and other local varietals.

The increasing American emphasis on "singular" wines will prove to be too bad if it encourages winemakers to drop their blends, and prevents wine drinkers from enjoying the pleasures of the mélange. And pleasures there are!

Take for example, one of California's most expensive wines, Opus One. This stately gem of a blend can be made from the Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Petit verdot, and Malbec grapes-the mixture changes depending upon the vintage. The wine is supple and velvety, with complex flavors of ripe black fruit and soft wood, earth tones and soft herbs. This wine is certainly none the worse for being a blend!

Similarly, one of Washington State's greatest wines is a combination of different red grape varieties from different vineyards, including the Cabernets sauvignon and franc, plus Merlot. Under the Sorella name, winemaker Chris Camarda of the Andrew Will Winery produces a world-class wine with flavors of candied fruit, dried flower petals, and savory spiciness. Surely this wine can rival the best blend from anywhere!

But one needn't part with the really big bucks in order to get high-quality blended wines.

Reserve Wines

Most wineries produce a number of different tiers of wine, offering different price levels for their blends, including a so-called "reserve" bottling that can be the best expression of the winemaker's overall style.

For instance, at the Domaine Serene winery in our own Dundee Hills south of Portland, their reserve Pinot noir is blended to achieve a consistent style that the consumer can rely on. When grapes come in at harvest time from the different vineyards, winemaker Tony Rynders keeps each lot separate as it goes through the winemaking process. "That way," he says, "I have maximum flexibility to blend our flagship wine, the Evenstad Reserve."

Indeed, some wineries make it a point of pride that their premium wine is a reserve blend instead of a single-vineyard, because they feel it can be a better wine.

"Most vines in Oregon haven't been in the ground long enough for us to know what the vineyard character really is," explains Luisa Ponzi, winemaker at Ponzi Vineyards in Beaverton. So, Ponzi's reputation for exceptional wines has been built primarily by their reserve wine-which is a blend of Pinot noir grapes from different vineyards.

Ponzi made their first single-vineyard Pinot noir in 1998-but then Ponzi owns one of the oldest modern vineyards in Oregon, old enough Luisa believes, to begin expressing its terroir. "Our reserve wine," she emphasizes, "is what we will continue to be known for."

Bargain Blends

And finally, for the value seekers among us, blended bottles can offer fantastic opportunities-especially in Oregon.

At many Oregon wineries the reserve blend is their top tier wine. It is usually composed of the best lots from the winery's estate grapes, or from favored single-vineyard sites. Reserve-level wines are generally among a winery's most expensive bottles.

Sometimes, for any of a variety of reasons, wine lots that were originally intended for use in the reserve blend become "declassified" by the winemaker and are instead used in a less expensive tier of blend. These wines, usually labeled "Willamette Valley" or "Oregon," depending on where the grapes came from, are often priced significantly less than the reserve-but they can contain grapes that were of reserve-level caliber-making for a great deal.

Blends, then, can be everything from some of the most expensive wines you can buy, to cost-effective everyday drinking wines. So as you think about sampling your next wine, be sure to reserve a place on your wine buying list for a few of those alluring amalgams of varietal harmony: the blends!

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